PLEASURE the beft RELIGION;

OR,

The Right of Mankind to do what they will, afferted:

A

SERMO N.

PROVERBS iii. Ver. 17.

Her Ways are Ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace.

N confidering these words, I fhall endeavour to show,

ift, That if the ways of religion are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths the paths of peace,

mankind must have a right to do what they will.

2dly, I fhall prove that there is no pleasure in the practice of any one virtue whatsoever, and consequently that virtue can be no part of that religion whose ways are ways of pleasantness. Z

3dly,

3dly, I fhall answer fome objections, and fo conclude.

In the first place I am to fhow, that if the ways of religion are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are paths of peace, mankind muft have a right to do what they will.

There is no propofition more evident, no maxim more generally granted, than that liberty is effential to happiness. This therefore I hope will not be contefted with me. Now I fhall endeavour to prove, that the very effence of liberty confifts in doing what one will. Man is a free agent; obferve, I befeech you, the ftrength and concifeness of my reafoning; man, I fay, is a free agent. Now whatsoever is a free agent, muft be fuppofed in all 'circumftances to have a liberty of acting or not acting; therefore every man has a liberty of doing what he will. But fome of you perhaps will object, that there is a difference between the liberty of doing what one will, and the right of fo doing. Now, tho' the reafoning of the pulpit might very well countenance me in fuch a trifling inaccuracy, yet I fcorn to take fanctuary under fo poor an indulgence. I will make this matter fo plain, that the meaneft capacity in this congregation fhall moft easily comprehend it. I love to preach to the common level of the common people; and this ought to be the rule of every preacher, who has not more at heart the oftentation of his own learning, than the inftruction

of his hearers. But to the point. Mankind have a right to happiness; liberty is effential to happiness ; therefore every man has a right to liberty. Now if every man has a right to liberty, and the very effence of liberty confifts (as before afferted) in doing what one will, then every man has undoubtedly a right fo to do. This reafoning is fo ftrong and conclufive, that I am under no apprehenfion of its be ing thought that the privilege of the pulpit alone fecures me from contradiction. The thing speaks itfelf, and every action we do confirms the truth of it. How ready are we upon all occafions to cry out, I will do fo and fo, or I will not do fo and fo? Now if mankind had not a right to do what they will, thefe phrafes would be abfurd and ridiculous. Befides, we have the authority of fcripture to fupport this our opinion. St. Paul, fpeaking of a young man, fays, let him do what he will he finneth not. In the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomy it is written, we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. And in the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, the Jews are commanded to proclaim liberty (that is, a right of doing what they will) throughout all the land, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Nay David, the man after God's own heart, declares, Pfalm cxix. ver. 45. that he will walk at liberty. Now if any man should pretend to fay that thefe texts are not fairly quoted, I will fhow him a hundred texts in the very graveft authors more perverfly quoted by half. And thus I think I have fufficiently prov'd, both from reafon and fcripture, that mankind have an undoubted right to do what they will. Z 2

2dly,

2dly, I am to prove, That there is no pleasure in the practice fo any one virtue whatsoever, and confequently that virtue can be no part of that religion whofe ways are ways of pleasantnefs.

Every body is fenfible of, and cries out upon the mischiefs which arife from religious difputes. The warmth and animofity with which men are divided against each other, and the rage and fury with which they hate and perfecute each other on account of their different opinions, are melancholy confiderations. Happy were it for mankind, if a way could be found to put an end to this tumultuous extravagance, to tune their jarring paffions, and unite them all in brotherly love and affection; and well would that man deserve from his fellow creatures who should accomplish the glorious task. Let us try what can be done.

It has been allow'd by the beft divines, that the only end, or at least the chief motive, which God could have for creating us, was our own happiness : I fhall therefore take this for granted, without enquiring any farther into the truth of it, and confine myself only to seek by what means this great end is beft to be acquir'd.

Some late writers have made a great ftir with virtue, the real, the intrinfick pleasures of virtue. But I am in hopes that one fingle obfervation will be suffcient to establish it in the minds of all this good

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